Champion 7GCAA accident near Casville Juct, North Carolina, April 15, 1985
On April 15, 1985 at about 1:38 am local time, a Champion 7GCAA, registered N2580F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Casville Juct, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1985 · about 1:38 am local time
- Place
- Casville Juct, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7GCAA · all 7GCAAs on the register
- Registration
- N2580F · registry record · serial 22
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A PERSONAL X-COUNTRY FLT, THE ACFT LOST POWER & THE PLT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A ROAD. DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK A GUY WIRE & CRASHED INVERTED ON THE ROAD. A POST CRASH EXAM REVEALED THAT APRX 1.5 PINTS OF FUEL WAS IN THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH THE ACFT WAS INVERTED, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE OR SPILLAGE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE SAME ROUTE 5 TIMES IN THE PAST WITHOUT INCIDENT. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, THE PLT SERVICED THE ACFT TO ITS FULL CAPACITY OF 40 GALS. HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTING STONE MOUNTAIN, GA. THE PLT FELT THAT HE WAS 'TOO LAX' BECAUSE HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 27, 1984; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00A Stone Mountain GA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: DAN Danville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 am from DAN, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.